Saber followed the odor the Ilyium guards left behind to a room holding the prisoners. There were twelve females and three males locked behind iron bars, and most appeared sickly.
A wave of nausea swept him, followed by an intense pain shooting through his skull. Saber steadied himself against the wall, as a prisoner moved close to the bars. “Tirah?” Saber said, then blinked and shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs. No, this woman wasn’t Tirah. She had long black hair and was slight of build. Though she had the same facial features as Tirah.
The woman stared at him from the other side of the bars. “You know my daughter?”
Saber tried to speak, but another wave of agony washed over him, preventing him from answering.
“Zales,” he called instead.
“Yes, brother, I’ve felt your pain. I’m already on my way. What do you need?” Zales answered.
“I’m at Darry’s old lair. There are some prisoners here. I need your help with them,” Saber answered, then when finally able to speak aloud, he looked at Tirah’s mother.
“Yes, I know your daughter. She’s worried about you,” he said.
“You do? Is she all right?” the female asked with narrowed eyes as if afraid to believe him.
“She is.” Saber indicated she move away from the bars, then drew on his power. “I’m going to open the door now.”
Tirah’s mother nodded and did as he instructed. Saber did a half shift, garnering a few gasps. He ignored them and breathed fire on the latch, melting the mechanism. Then he yanked on the bars and pulled.
The iron screeched for a moment and Saber winced. He moved back to let the prisoners out, but they all just stared at him in trepidation.
Then another wave hit him and this time it was the poison. Shit.
“Zales, how long till you get here?”
“I’m here,” his brother answered from behind him.
Relief swept through Saber and he indicated the prisoners. “Can you help with them?”
“Yes, I sent for some of my men, they’ll be here momentarily,” Zales said, watching him. “What is wrong with you?”
Saber shrugged. “Nothing, I’ll be all right.”
Zales shook his head but turned back to the prisoners. “We’re here to help. To get you out of here,” he instructed.
“I need a favor,” Saber said to his brother.
“Anything,” Zales replied, and Saber felt bad for not telling him that he’d been poisoned. Yet if he did, Zales would only try to heal him. Then he’d be in the same position as before, trying to fight the loss of his soul and going rogue.
“I’d like you to take this one to her daughter,” Saber indicated Tirah’s mother.
Zales looked at the woman and nodded. “I can do that. Where is the daughter?”
“Here.” Saber shared a mental picture of the route and the cabin with him.
“Got it. Where are you going?” Zales asked.
“Home. Bed,” Saber answered.
Zales frowned, but before he could say anything else, Saber grabbed his arm. “I need another favor.”
Saber drew in a deep breath. “Her daughter, Tirah, she’s … special. Don’t tell Cass where she is, and please, see that she gets to wherever she wants to go?” He wished he could be around to keep her safe himself, but that wasn’t to be.
Zales stared at him in surprise. “Sure, but Cass?”
Saber fought not to scream from the torment slicing through him. “He wants to kill her. I can’t let him.”
Saber tried to keep his shields tight as Zales studied him suspiciously. “Who is she to you?”
“She’s just someone I care about, that’s all,” Saber relied.
“Fine,” Zales agreed, though there was a curious light in his eyes. “I won’t tell Cass.”
“Thank you, brother.” Saber wanted to say more. He wanted to tell Zales he loved him but didn’t want to raise any suspicion. Saber hurried away, and body screaming in protest, made his way to the exit, passing the males that Zales had sent for. One of them Saber thought he recognized, yet with his failing vision, he wasn’t sure. Excruciating agony pounded his skull as the poison continued to attack his body.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Zalesthorn
Shocked over Casin’s death and what he attempted to do to her and Saber, Tirah glanced around the little cabin for her fierce warrior. “Where did he go?”
Mihel frowned. “I don’t know.” Skirting Casin, he went to the open door and peered out. “I don’t see him.” Then Mihel looked back at her. “Who is he anyway?”
Tirah swallowed deeply. “He—” She stopped. What should she say? Saber had captured her? Or that he claimed her as his mate? “His name is Saber. Saberthorn.”
Mihel paled and his eyes grew wide. “As in the one who has been hunting and killing everyone from that night?”
Tirah nodded. “Yes.”
“The same one who has been hunting you, keeping you on the run for ten long years?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes, but you can’t blame him.” Tirah stared morbidly at the blood seeping into the wooden floorboards, and a shiver of dread ran through her.
“Can’t I?” Mihel asked, bitterness in his voice. “You had to run because of him. I lost my sister because of him.”
Tirah sighed. “No. I had to run because of what I did, and you know it. I killed my superior. Besides, you haven’t lost me. I’m right here.”
“Yeah, for how long?” Then Mihel pursed his lips, as if he knew she was right and didn’t want to admit it.
“Mihel, Saber told me it was his niece we killed that night, and—” She sighed with frustration. “Apparently Casin was there. He must’ve been the one hiding behind the outcropping of rocks, the coward.” Realizing she was rambling, she got back on topic. “I can’t believe Casin was the one who sent Saber’s brother to Hades. Saber’s been trying to find a way to get his brother back ever since.”
Mihel sighed and then winced and rubbed his temple. It was an action she was all too familiar with, and only made her worry about Saber more.
“Are you all right?” she asked, noticing the lump on Mihel’s temple.
“I’ll be fine. Casin hit me with something really hard. You know, I really tried. For years I tried to get along with him, but he was always such an asshole.”
“I know.” Bending down, she picked up the large ruby and the shiny dragon scale her brother had used to send Adariasthorn to Hades. Going over to the pack, Tirah tucked them inside to keep them safe. “Do you have any idea of what spell he might have used?”
Mihel shook his head. “No.”
“Crap,” Tirah sighed.
“I guess if it’s that important I can try to find out,” Mihel offered.
Tirah nodded, holding her pack. “Yes, please do. In the meantime, I need to give these to Saber. Maybe he can figure it out or knows someone who can. Maybe these can be used to reverse the spell.”
Mihel stared at her. “I might agree with some of what you said, but are you crazy? I don’t think you should go anywhere near this Saberthorn, he’s dangerous.”
Tirah smiled sadly. “He is, but not to me.”
“Tirah.”
“Mihel, I’m a grown woman. Please trust me. Saber won’t hurt me,” she said the last quietly. “Besides, he could easily have killed all of us and didn’t. In fact, he freed you.” She stared at his raw wrists where he’d been bound.
Mihel scowled at her. “Well, it doesn’t matter. We need to go get Mother back. Somehow.”
Tirah nodded and they spent a few minutes trying to come up with a plan.
“Aren’t you next in line to be commander, now that—” Tirah looked sadly down at Casin. She knew he had hated them all, though still didn’t really understand the why of it, or his desire for her. She shuddered at the memory of his gaze on her. “Now that he’s dead?”
Mihel sighed deeply. “That is the last thing I ever wanted to be, but yes, I’m next
in line.”
“Well, maybe it will be a good thing.”
Anger lit his eyes. “How do you figure?”
“Maybe you can make some changes for the Ilyium,” she suggested.
Mihel swore quietly and shook his head. “Me as commander? I’d really rather die.”
“Mihel.” Tirah stared at her brother, but he just rolled his eyes.
She laughed, and a moment later, Mihel joined her. Tirah hugged him again. “I missed you.”
“Missed you, too, sis.” Mihel pulled away and toed Casin with his foot. “We can’t let anyone know we had any part in killing him.”
“Right. I guess we should try to bury him. Wouldn’t want anyone coming across his body here. Though if we do, then it might be a while before they declare him dead,” Tirah said, depressed and unsure of their next move. She had secretly hoped that Mihel would get her status changed, so she could go home. Then she realized that she didn’t want to go back to the Ilyium. That wasn’t her home anymore.
Mihel opened his mouth to respond, when they heard the flap of wings outside.
“Maybe that’s Saber,” Tirah said, hopeful once more. She slipped past her brother and rushed outside only to pull up sharply at the sight that greeted her. Her heart plummeted. Though it was dark out, and the dragon slowly descending looked black, she instinctively knew that it wasn’t Saber.
Just like she knew it was a male landing in front of her.
Tirah bit back her disappointment as moonlight reflected off the dragon’s navy scales.
“Is that him?” Mihel asked, watching the dragon land about thirty feet away.
“No. Someone else.” Then she frowned. “Who does he have with him?”
“Mother?” Mihel left the porch and cautiously moved toward the dragon.
“Oh.” Happiness and excitement flooded Tirah. “Mother!”
The dragon set the female in his talons gently onto the ground, and Ashara smiled up at him briefly, before turning to her children. “Tirah? Mihel?”
A grin split Tirah’s face and she ran into her mother’s arms. “Mama, how …?”
Tears of happiness ran down Ashara’s face as they hugged, then she pulled Mihel close as well. “I can’t believe you are both here. I never thought I’d see either of you again.”
Tirah smiled, then as the dragon’s power tingled all through her, she watched him shift into a large, handsome male with short-cropped, dark hair and familiar luminous blue eyes. He held himself with the same commanding presence that Saber did. A presence she now felt sure all Thorn brothers must have.
“Who are you? Where’s Saber?” Tirah asked, as another tremble of … dread and pain? rushed through her. Something was terribly wrong, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Are you Tirah?”
“I am.” Tirah glanced up at the night sky, hoping to see Saber. There was no movement. “Where is he?” she asked the male who looked different, yet eerily similar to Saber.
“Who are you?” Mihel asked the dragon shifter at the same time.
“I’m Zalesthorn. Saber freed your mother and asked me to bring her to you. Now I need to get back to my men. They’re trying to get the other prisoners to a safe place with some medical care.”
Tirah blinked. Saber was the one to free her mother? Why?
“I thank you,” Mihel said, standing with his arm around Ashara. It was clear he was just as confused as Tirah was.
Zales nodded, then went to leave when Tirah stopped him. “Wait. Is Saber still helping the others?”
Zales shook his head. “No.”
“I need to see him. Tell me where he is, please?” Tirah begged and heard Ashara draw in a sharp breath.
Zales ignored Ashara and studied Tirah. “Who is he to you?”
Tirah glanced at her mother and brother, before straightening her shoulders and meeting Zales’s serious gaze. “He’s someone I really care about.”
Zales seemed to consider her words, then agreed. “I will take you, but we need to be quick. I must get back to my men, in case the soldiers Saber chased away call for help and return to where your mother was held.”
Tirah bit her lip. She hated to leave her mother and brother, yet the feeling that Saber was in trouble just wouldn’t leave her alone. “Will you bring them later?”
“Yes, I can do that. After I see to my men’s safety.”
“Thank you. Give me a moment?” Tirah asked.
Zales nodded and moved away.
Tirah turned to her mother and brother, then felt Zales’s power as he shifted back into his dragon. It didn’t bother her, though she didn’t have the desire to soak it up the same way she did with Saber’s power.
“I have to make sure Saber’s all right. Casin stabbed him with a poisoned blade, and I—” She paused, not sure how to explain without causing her mother grief.
“Where is Casin?” Ashara asked.
Guilt flooded Tirah. “I’m sorry. I know Casin was your son and our brother, but …” How did she tell her mother that her oldest son lay dead not fifty feet away?
“He no longer lives, does he?” Ashara asked. Mihel looked at Tirah, his worry reflected in her eyes. “I can feel my tie to him gone. I want to see him,” Ashara said.
“Mother—” Tirah began.
Ashara gazed at them sadly. “I know what he was. I know he hated all of us, me especially. Your father poisoned him against me a long time ago. I … I’d just like to see him one more time. He was still my baby once.”
Tirah swallowed deeply and indicated the cabin, but as she started to walk that way, Ashara touched her arm, stopping her. “You go to Saber. Mihel will come inside with me.”
Tirah hesitated and Ashara smiled sadly at her. “It’s all right. Really. Go to him. We’ll be fine here until Zales comes back for us.”
“Mihel?” Tirah asked.
Her brother shrugged. “Go. But if he hurts you …”
Tirah rolled her eyes at her brother, then gave her mother another hug. “I don’t know why Saber went and rescued you. I’m just glad he did.” She pulled away and stared at them both. “I’ll see you soon.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Fire-Born
Zales landed and set Tirah on her feet not far from where she had exited Saber’s mountain dwelling. Then he shifted into his human-form. “You’ve been here before?”
“Yes.” Tirah was anxious to get to Saber and make sure he was all right.
Zales stared at her. “If you hurt my brother in any way, it won’t matter how much he cares about you, I will hunt you down and make you pay.”
Tirah’s regard for Zales rose at his obvious love for his brother. “I won’t. I promise, I—” She started to say like Saber, but that seemed inadequate. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to tell Zales that she loved him, when she hadn’t told Saber himself. Besides, though Saber called her his mate, what if he no longer wanted her? She had run away and then had gotten him stabbed. “I’d never intentionally hurt him,” she said instead.
Zales narrowed his eyes on her. “I believe you. I might be a while. I’ll bring your mother and brother when I can.”
“Thank you,” Tirah said and moved away. She watched him shift back into his dragon and a moment later, rise into the air. Moonlight glinted off his navy scales. Tirah frowned as he shimmered and then completely disappeared.
She smiled at finally seeing a dragon grow invisible and knowing they really could do so.
Tirah faced the tunnel she’d come out of and not caring the least bit about the prickly claws, parted the bushes. Then she cast another light spell and quickly navigated the dark, rocky incline up the mountain.
When she reached the top, Tirah stopped and gaped at the new drawing. It was beautiful. The woman in it was beautiful. Wait. This was how he saw her? She bit her lip and tore her gaze away, the urge to hurry stronger than ever. She passed back through the magic barrier-wall into his lair. “Saber?” There was no answer. The feeling of drea
d worsened and she shivered as goose pimples rose on her skin. Then she sniffed the air. It smelled damp, like … death.
Foreboding consumed her and Tirah rushed into Saber’s room, sure that she wouldn’t find him there either. She let out a deep sigh of relief at the sight of Saber lying naked on his bed. Then she frowned. He had a greenish tint to his skin and his breathing was shallow. “Saber?”
He didn’t move.
Tirah climbed up beside him and put her hand on his forehead. He was ice cold. “No, Saber.” She pulled the blankets up over him and then shook him. Panic devoured her when he didn’t respond. She’d just found him, she couldn’t lose him now.
“Please, Saber,” she cried, shaking him again. It was a long moment before a groan slipped from his mouth.
“Yes, that’s it, wake up,” she encouraged.
Slowly, one eye opened. Saber winced and quickly shut it again. “Tirah?” he said her name so quietly, she almost didn’t hear.
“It’s me, I’m here. What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
Saber didn’t answer.
“Saber?” she called, feeling the panic building inside of her. “What’s wrong, tell me.”
“P-poison, dying,” he mumbled, his breathing way too shallow.
Tirah felt the blood drain from her face. “No. You can’t be.”
“L-leave … me.”
“I am not leaving you. Now tell me what to do,” she said. Her heart rose in her throat at the idea of him dying. There had to be something. She wished that Zales had come inside with her. Now she had no way to reach him. “Tell me how to save you,” she begged.
Saber didn’t respond, and as she watched, he grew even paler as the stench of death crept around the room, waiting to take him.
“Don’t you dare die on me,” she cried. Then she leaned over and placed a kiss on his lips. “Saber, please. Don’t leave me. I love you. I need you,” she whispered.
Saberthorn (A Paranormal/Fantasy Dragonshifter Romance): Dragonkind ~ 52 Realms Page 16